All About Patanjali's Yoga Sutras

Patanjali's Yoga Sutras is a text that covers many aspects of life, beginning with a code of conduct and ending with the goal of yoga, a vision of one's true Self. The Pantajali'sYoga Sutras is probably the most authoritative text on yoga. It defines yoga as a focusing of the attention to whatever object is being contemplated to the exclusion of all others. Yoga isn't only about postures, or meditation, it is a way of life, or religion. In this influencing scripture there are eight steps to awakening or enlightenment through yoga. These eight astanga or limbs of yoga are: yamas, niyamas, asanas, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi.

The yamas consist of lessons in moral and social conduct in our environment. It teaches us to restrain from lying, stealing, and greed. Non-violence and consideration toward all living things is the key. Communication with sensitivity towards others and moderation in all things we do is revered.

The niyama focuses on attitudes towards ourselves: compromising, cleanliness, serenity, devotion, and asceticism. One should study and reverence to a higher intelligence. There is an acceptance of our limitations in relation to God. It is key to have removed the impurities from the mind and body.

In the asanas, one focuses on posture practice, positioning the body while incorporating the breath to achieve a greater awareness in the mind. One is alert and relaxed without tension, while observing the reactions of the body and breath to various postures. This minimizes the effect of the external influences on the body, such as diet and climate.

Pranayama, or the restraint and control of the breath, helps with concentration, energizing and balancing of the mind and body.

Pratyahara is the relaxation of the senses, where no distractions actually activate the mind. Dharana, or concentration, is the ability to direct the mind toward a chosen object and focus in on it alone. Dhyana, or meditation, is the ability to develop focused interactions with what we seek to understand. Lastly, but most importantly, Samadhi is the ultimate state of Self-realization, or union with the Source. To learn about goldfish facts, goldfish illness and other information, visit the Interesting Animals website.

Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_992207_32.html

What Is Yoga - History and Origins

Author: Rebecca Prescott
The popularization of yoga in the West by yoga schools influenced by the Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali (2nd century BC), have almost led to the origins of yoga being linked with Patanjali in the Western mind. In fact, the earliest illustration we have of yoga is from the Mohenjo-daro seals. Mohenjo-Daro is the remains of an ancient city located in Pakistan, part of the Indus Valley civilization which existed along the Indus river and Ghaggar-Hakra river in north-west India and what is now Pakistan. Mohenjo-Daro's parent city was Harrapa in India.

These civilizations have been dated from 3300 BC to 1300 BC. At one stage they were thought to have suddenly ended due to an Aryan invasion, though archaeologists now believe it was more likely due to climate change. Ultimately though, nothing is certain in the world of archaeology, at least until the next find, or developments in science.

The Mohenjo-daro seals show a figure standing on its head, and another sitting cross legged.

However, some see yoga's origins as being from the Vedic shastras, or vedic religious texts, which are the foundation of Indian Hinduism. The Vedic texts were created from 500 BC, and the Rigveda is believed to have been completed by 1500 BC. The Rigveda is one of several principle early vedic texts. The Rigveda, Samaveda, and Yajurveda were used by the Brahmins, a caste that were usually priests, or allowed to be priests, in the days when the caste system originated.

A lot of these texts were concerned with sacrificial rituals. There are sacrificial prayers, incantations, and elements related to magic, to name a few aspects of the subject matter. These are now viewed symbolically, or philosophically, although they were presumably intended more literally at the time. But the word "yoga" was discussed in the RigVeda. In it, there is mention of 'yoking' our mind and insight to the 'Sun Of Truth' (David Frawley, a Vedic scholar).

Yoga is also discussed in the Bhagavad Gita, where Krishna describes 4 types of yoga:

* selfless action - in following one's soul path, one's dharma, first and foremost, and without thinking of the outcome, the end result, or being motivated by self gain (Karma Yoga)
* self transcending knowledge (Jnana yoga)
* psycho-physical meditation (Raja yoga)
* devotion - loving service to the Divine Essence (Bhakti yoga) (Source - Wikipedia)

The Bhagavad Gita is believed to have been written between the 5th and 2nd century BC. In the Gita, the goal of yoga is the realization of Brahman, or the Divine Essence. Whilst the paths to achieve this for individuals may be different, the essence of coming to an unequivocable knowing of the Oneness of the Divine, and oneself within this fundamental reality, is the same.

"The Gita addresses the discord between the senses and the intuition of cosmic order. It speaks of the Yoga of equanimity, a detached outlook. The term Yoga covers a wide range of meanings, but in the context of the Bhagavad Gita, describes a unified outlook, serenity of mind, skill in action, and the ability to stay attuned to the glory of the Self (Atman), which is of the same essence as the basis of Being (Brahman)." (Wikipedia)

Read about the invocation to sage patanjali here. Learn more about kriya yoga, here.

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